Control for airplane vehicles and ground steering gear therefor



Sept. 12, 1939. w WATERMAN 2,172,813

CONTROL FCR AIRPLANE VEHICLES AND GROUND STEERING GEAR THEREFOR Filed Feb. 3, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

Waldo D.WaEEPma1-1 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12, 1939. w; D, WATERMAN 2,172,813

CONTROL FOR AIRPLANE VEHICLES AND GROUND STEERING GEAR THEREFOR Filed Feb. 3, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o LL [L1 INVENTOR.

Waldu I]. Wa cEr'n-Lan ATTORNEY.

, retested Se t. 112, i933 contract; t on allnlrunrln vnmoans AND J-oaolllnn surname seen rnnnnron Waldo Waterman. samta Monica, Calif; I n ohootlo yeom rv e, 193?,Seriall No. matte it or. (on. 2441-83) My invention relates to improvements in consuch a maneuver is necessary in the normal trols for airplane vehicles and ground steering course of orthodox flying, but there are rare ingears therefor. The object of my invention is to stances when such a maneuver is desirable if not provide eficient controls adapted to any airplane imperative. A means should, therefore, be provehicle and especially to the type described herevided in the form of an auxiliary control which 5 in. A further object is to provide controls that will make it possible for'the pilot ofthe airplane may be more safely operated by those of limited to execute such a maneuver if the emergency skill, A further object is to provide controls to arises. It may at times also be desirable to inttssi st in landing under a type of adverse condicrease the total drag of theairplane such as male y lo trons as will be described herein. A further ohing its fiie'htpe s p r for he Purpose of lost of the invention is to provide a landing gear shortening the landing approach. A control to ofspecial merit in taking ed and in landing and accomplish this result is highly desirable. at h s me time adapted to be used when the The control described below is applicable .to vehicle is converted to be used as an automobile y ime Of irpl n lth u h s particularly on the highway. described it applies to an airplane of tail-less de- 15 For a better understanding of the merits of the Sign, said at plane being briefly described as invention the following general statement is IOWSI made to wit: v V The wings of said airplane have an appreciable Most airplanes are equipped with three b i amount of sweep-back or retreat so that the cuszo controls namely: longitudinal or pitching actute na y ai erons, be to h a f the center ated by the fore and aft motion of thecontrol f r vity of th r l e r s r yn i column; lateral or banking control actuated by center, may be used as both ailerons and elevaeither the lateralmovement of the control colt rs and'are so linked to he n rol sy t m. umn or the rotation of a wheel mounted at the In pla e of the c stom y irpl n ru d "end of the control column; and direction or rothere S p a d near t l of e Wing a sur- 25.-

tation about the vertical axis of the airplane acface so hinged t i y be deflected o Cause tuated. by foot-pedals. a drag, while in the neutral position it floats, in

In the normal operation of the airplane there the air-stream causing a minimum amount of is required a certain coordination on the part of resistance. For the purpose oi this description so the pilot thereof between the lateral and direc- I will're e o t se s a e a drag l me s.

tional controls in order to secure, the proper This invention relates to controls that may be amount of bank for a given radiu bf tum embodied in a variety of airplane frames and brought about by the use of the directional 'conhousing enclosures by fit i t e eehanlsmslm trol. It is possible by suitable linkage to comto the varied frame supports without necessarily blue the lateral and directional controls so that h gi gth mechanical elements their q 35 with the movement of one lever on the part of slants or operat v results the pilot the proper coordination of these two The drawings hereof are made in diagramcont'rolsis arranged in said linkage, provided that m'atic form fr e fr m being s u d by the n the aerodynamic characteristics of the airplane essary frame supporting members. 40 itself are such that'itwill lend itself to such an Reference will be had to the accompanyi 4 arrangement. a drawings in which Fig. l is a perspective dia- Such a system of control is highly desirable for grammatic elevation of the mechanisms or the an airplane to "be operated by one of limited invention. Fig, 2 is a side elevation showing skill, as a certain'amount of coordination that parts of the invention. Fig. 3-is a plan of parts can only be acquired by training and experience described later herein. Fig. 4 is an elevation dia- 15 on'the part of the pilot in such a system is built gram of the 60 2 0011111111 Milking f om he into the mechanism mechanically. There is one rearshowing'details of connections therewith and drawback to such a system which in theinterest lndlcat ngtens on dev c s r es W ch run to of safety has to be provided for. There are the drag elements from the handles ti and 5. 5 times when themilot may wish a difierent coor- In the diagrams S indicates the pilot's seat. I dination or lateral and directional control than The wings or planes are indicated by the dotted thatwhich is built into the mechanism, such as lines W. Tlieailerons are indicated by A and skidding to compensate for drift encountered in are shown in full lines and hinged in any suitable cross-wind landing or forother maneuvers inmanner along the line L to the wings W', the volving side-slipping or skidding. It is rare that hinges not being indicated: Thus the'ailerons 55 are located as it were within the area field of the wings. Drag elements indicated by D are hinged by any suitable means to the end of the wings at P.

Supporting bearings where they are indicated are marked B.

The propelling means for the vehiclemay be any suitable mechanism for the purpose and is not shown or described; T The landing gear is provided with two wheels ally placed at the rear of of the machine or vehicle herein. These steerable wheel drawings compose the landing but' wheels together T as shown in the gear. 7 V 7 In reading Fig. l of the drawings the left side shows the front of the vehicle and in the opera- ,tors turning the handwheel I the top of it to his left in the drawings would indicate a cinchwise movement of the wheel as viewe dfrom the front of the vehicle. 7 v By pulling and pushing movements of the hand wheel I to-and from the pilot seat S and revolving it on its axis together. with reciprocating the handles 4 and Sell the ino'vements'of the vehicle are controlled, Thus the use of the feet is not required as indicated by the drawings here shown."

The arrangements of these controls aim to accornmodate the habit of a layman in driving an automobile, to the end that individuals who drive automobiles may more safely act as pilots in airplanes with these controls of this invention.

Assuming that the vehicle is on the field ready" for a take-oft and'itsposition requires a turning movement in getting out in the clear, and this movement be made bytowing o'r taxiing under its ownpropelling means, the procedure then and 4 after in the take-"off may be as follows: If a right-hand turn is requiredln this moveme'nt the pilot revolves the wheel I counter-clockwise fgor this turn. The-shaft of wheel I is supported in a bearing in a control column 2 .and has fixed thereon a sprocket which drives a chain 28 which in turn drives a sprocket on shaft 30.

This shaft 30 is mounted in the upper of control column 2and the column has arms E supported in bearings at their ends thus making *an axis 3 on which column 2 and its connected parts are supported.

'I'heshaft -QII. is connected by a universal joint 29 .the neutral axis of which is in linewith the :flxis of-the column and the joint 20 is-c'onnected I ,to. a tubular shaft 3|, the purpose of the-tubular form being only to save weight. outward 'end being at the right of Fig. lot-shaft 2| is I supported inany suitable bearing'tothe frame of the vehicle. Near the outer end of this shaft .SI there is fixed .a crank block fl'having' two arms. A connecting rod" is connected to one of these arms andextends down and'is connected 5! fixed on "a' shaft 88 which is to a lever arm sup ported by any sultablebearings inthe frame of the vehicle-and extends forward to the region of the guide or steering wheel T. Fixed on shaft 58 at 51 there is an angleshaped lever I which is hinged at 54 in any suitable manner to a block 53 which is mountedin vertical sliding contact on a post 52. The bottom ofpost 52 extends over and is 'flxed to acastor wheel for! II in which ismounted the guiding or steerable wheel T. f 75 Thus by the revolving of menus, whcel l e'ments of \the rig lever 811113.

lower side of the left armors by the pilot he controls the directionof trarrel' of the vehicle when it is on the ground.

The some feature of directional control by 'revolving ofhand wheel I takes place when the vehicle is' in the air. This is assisted in being 5 brought about by themechanism connected to the lower or vertical arm of block S2 to wires I l-and ilgwhich are connected at their other ends to levers and. fixed to the hinged drag memhers D hinged in any suitable manner at I to 10 the ends of the wings W. Thus when a righthand turn is made,in the air. the revolving of shaft 3| as describedfor a ground-turn acts-the D at the end of the right wing to V make resistance .wing while the drag element at the left wing remains floating in the air-stream.

However, in making a turn in the air or on the ground for thatfmatter the revolving of the hand wheel I which rotates the shaft 3| as above de- 20 scribed also rotates bodily a block II which is hinged by a trunnion II on the shaft II, provided the block is not rotated on itstrunnion. This is the case unless the control column is moved.- Thus in making or on the ground the rotary movement bodilyof block Iowith the shaft 8| brings about movet and left ailerons A about their hinged connec ions to the wings'liftlng one aileron and lowering the other as well as deflectso ing the drag element on the side towards which it is desired to turn, bringing about abanking and turning movement. This reverse directlong movement of the ailerons is only red in mak ,i ng a turn or bank and can only be produced 35 in this system of control by the revolving of the hand wheel I. This feature is desirable from the standpoint that one accustomed to driving an automobile may make his turns either on the ground or in the :air in thesame habit a road vehicle. Y

The mech tions ofshaft 8| tobring of the ailerons above mentioned is composed of the block I0 being connected l2 and I3 to lever arms I4 and If. The arm I is flxedto a hollow shaft I8 telescoping 'over shaft il and the lever arm I! is fixed toja hollow shaft ll telescoping over the shaft Ii. On'shaft I 1 there is flxeda block I! having upp r and lower The upper arm is Tconn'ected to a wire 22 which is trained around a suitablesheave and is connected to a lever arm 21 flxed to the,

aileron A of the. vehicle, The lower arm of block. I8 is connected to a wire 55 23 trained around and-wnnected'to a lover I! v on the before mentioned left aileron. Thus by rocking the shaft I! the left aileron is controlled in its hinged movements shaft "there is fixed a block I! Il'and the upper arm of the'block II is connected by a wire 2| trained around and connected toa lever arm 25 on the under side of .the fight aileron A. The lowerarm of block I! is connected by a wire 21 thatextends to and billed to a lever arm on the right aileron whereby the rocking motion of the block I! moves then'ight aileron up and down aboutits hinged connection to the right wing.

Themovements of I the two ailerons in unison v1 to producethe elevation or descent of the vehicle is produced'by swinging the co 2 about its axis 3-. he lever arm i which umn 2 and by universal 3 our on that end of the 15 any turn in the air 25 column 2 whereby the angels O a rim l which in turn is connected by universal joint'Q to. the block H3. Thus when the pilot pushes or pulls the hand himself he rocks the block it about its trunnion H and in doing this he raises and lowers both of the ailerons in' unison through the connections previously described to the block l6. Thus in an ascending or a descending flight the pilot merely moves the hand wheel i to and from himself without turning it, but if he wishes to bank or turn he will revolve the hand wheel 9 in any position which he at the same time swings the combined movements of the hand'wheel i and the column 2 bring about any control movement desired for the vehicle.

In a situation involving skidding 'or other emergency or a steep descent whereby the speed of the airplane is desired to be slowed down as it were by a braking action the pilot will grasp with one hand both the handles t and 5 which are connected by wires 31 and 38 to leverarms 39 and 80, which arms are hinged at 4! and 62 in any suitable location in the airplane whereby sheaves 46 and 63 and M are astride of the respec- 35 ang tiveires 33 and 3 5 that will permit them on the movement of the arms 39 and All under the pullof wires 37 and 38 from the handles i and 5 to exert a shortening effect of wires 33 and 36 which then act to swing the drag elements D out into the air-stream to act as a brake on the speed of the vehicle.- In some more 0 ess critical situations of skidding, banking or 0 her emergency the pilot may pull on either handle 4 or 5 to control either drag element as needed at the time or occasion.

4 The vehicle is provided with twolanding gear wheels located at the rear of thecenter of gravity of the vehicle as desired for landing purposes, but these are not thought necessary-to show or describe in this association of mechanism. However, the guide or steerable wheel T is shown and is provided with a shock absorbing mechanism. The castor wheel fork 56 has a cylindrical extension held in sliding relation in a bearing block ll fixed to the frame of the vehicle. This cylindrical extension is indicated by 48 and is provided with a hollow cavity on the inside in which there 'is'an elastic shock absorbing element contacted by a plunger 49 held to the block fill. by a clevis strap 50.

In the drawings the control mechanisms that are shown above the pilot seat may be reversed and located..beneath the pilot's floor when desired but retainingthe position of handy access of those parts needed to be moved by the pilots direct contact. ments and through the handles 4 and 5 oreither one alone does not prevent the. control by hand wheel i also acting on said drag elements in the normal way.

' What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle of the class described, the com-- bination with a control column provided with transverse shaft bearings near each end, of means for pivotally supporting said column near one end, a shaft having an operative hand wheel mounted in the bearing at the free end of said column, a second shaft provided with a universal joint mounted in the second of said bear- .ings, means for transmitting motion from the hand wheel to the second shaft, 'a horizontal shaft coupled to the universal joint, a trunnion on said horizontal shaft, a block mounted on said trunnion, linkage connecting said block to the .control column whereby the rotative position wheel I to and from The action upon the drag ele' control shaft provided with a lever arm,- said connecting rod joining said Ilast lever to said arm on said crank block, a guide steering wheel and means for directing it by said landing wheel control shaft, a hollow horizontal shaft provided with two oppositelyextending lever arms, an aileron provided with two lever arms extending in different directions from the axial plane thereof hinged to one of said wings, wires connecting said arms on the hollow shaft to the arms on the aileron, a second hollow shaft telescoped over the first one and pro-. vided with a block having two radially extend ing arms, a second aileron corresponding to the first one hinged to a second wing, wires connecting'arms'on said second ail on to arms on said second hollow shaft, I levers and linkage connecting sa a d rol Cu umn to said hollow shafts bymeans of which said shafts may be oscillated by a fore and aft motion of the control column; whereby directional control of wheel and elevation and descent control is proshaft surrounding said vided by the fore and aft swinging of the control column.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, the

combination with a cabin, of a wing extending laterally and in a retreating sweep-back alignment from two opposite sides of said cabin,' a drag element hinged at the outer end of each of said wings, hand wheel operated means for selectively moving either qf said drag elements,

and emergency means for opticnally selectively moving either or both of said drag elements",

3. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination'with a cabin, of a wing extending laterally and in a retreating sweep-back alignment from twoopposite sides of said cabin, a dragelement hinged at the outer end of each of said wings, hand wheel operated means for selectively moving said drag elements into the airstream for brake purposes, an emergency means for selectively moving either or both of said drag elements, anda steerable guide wheel operatively connected with said handwheel.

4. In avehicle of the class'described, a control mechanism comprising a control column provided with parallel shaft bearings'adjacent to each end, supporting bearings adjacent 'to one end of said column having an axis transverse to that of the adjacent shaft bearing, a shaft provided with a universal joint in one of said first shaft bearings, a second shaft in the other of said first shaft bearing, a, hand wheel coupled to said second shaft, means for' transmitting rotary motion from said hand wheel to said first mentioned shaft, a horizontal shaft coupled to said universal joint telescoping tubes on said horizontal shaft, a plurality of lever arms extending radially from said horizontal shaft mounted on said tubes and rigidly connected thereto, two ailerons each of which is hinged to an airplane wing and is provided with diverging fixed lever arms, wiresconnecting said aileron arms to said shaft lever arms, and means connected to said tubes and said control column for simultaneously changing the angular to float in the 4- direction of both ailerons by rocking the control column. r

5. In a vehicle of with wings having retreating a drag element hinged at the of said wings and adapted to normally float in I lever arm on each of said drag elements, flexible means connected to the free ends of said lever arms and to suitable steering means, tension devices mounted astride said flexiblev means, an operative wire for each of said tension means adapted to shorten a corresponding;flexib1e means, and a grasping handle for each operative wire.

6, A vehicle of the class described provided with rearwardly inclined wings, a hinged at the free end of each wing adapted airstream, a rigidly connected connected the class described provided swept-back ends,

to each lever, a

an operative wirefor each a handle connected-to the free wire, means for supportteiisiQn device, end of each operative ing said handles which enables a pilot to grasp either or both handles for selectively moving either 'or -both'of said drag elements for steering or braking.

'7; A vehicle of the class described provided with control means, comprising acontrolcolumn provided with parallel terminal bearings, a shaft carried in one of said bearings and provided with a universal joint, means for supporting said near said shaft, to-oscillate on an axis aft axis of the vehicle, said universal joint, a shaft, lever arms column transverse to the fore, and a driven, shaft coupled to pivoted block on said driven connected with theailerons, tween said block and said control column, and meansconiiecting said block and said lever arms whereby a rocking ofthe control icolurnn operates the ailerons in the same direction while a rotation of said driven shaft operates the ailerons y vices adapted to shorten said wires and thereby in opposite directions.

8. In a vehicle of the bination with a control on an axis transverse one described, the comcolu'mn mounted to swin to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle, of a shaft having a trunnion and connecting said a rotatable block fixed thereon, link and lever means connecting said block to said control column, a hollow-shift concentric with said first shaft, a second hollow shaft telescoped'over said shafts, to oscillate said tubular shafts in oppositeaiirechaving .oppositely extending lever arms-n ouritedon' each tubular shaft, ailerons provided with lever extending. from .opposite faceshingedly upporte at their forward edges, wires connecting the lever arms on said blocks with the lever arms on said ailerons, hingedly supported members having means tensidn members, a lever arm rigidly attached to said first, shaft, wires connecting the latter arm to said drag members, a, tension device mounted astride each of said wires to said drag'men'ibers, a painof handles mounted to be grasped singly or together, and auitable wires connecting each handle to a corresponding tensioii device.

' 9. A control mechanis for a vehicle of the for attaching driven shaft having a rotatable block fixed thereon by means of a trunnion, link andlezer means block to said column, -two concentric tubular shafts telescoped over outer end of each drag element tension device mounted astride a connection be-' link and lever means connecting said blocka manually said first armors Ioroscillating said tubular shafts in opposite directions, one or more wing ailerons hinged to said wings and provided withlevers extending onopposite sides, wires connecting said aileron levers to the levers onlsaid tubular shafts, a drag element provided with an operating lever hinged to each free end of said wings, wires connecting each drag lever to'said lever on said central shaft, a tension device 'astride each wire to said drag levers, a pair of handles adapted to be grasped singly or.together, and wires connecting each handle with a tension device. I

- '10. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with'a control columnprovided with a transverse shaft bearing at each end, supporting means for said column permitting it to be oscillated, a shaft'mounted in one of said bearings having a universal joint and'radial leverarms,

wires connecting drag elements to one of said lever arms, two concentric tubular shafts provided with levers telescoped lover a portion of said first shaft, a trunnion on-said first shaft, a block hinged to saidtrunnion, levers and linkage connecting said' block with said tubular shafts. linkage connecting said block with the control column, ailerons provided with hinged supports and outwardly extending levers, a wire connecting a lever arm on onetubular shaft with a lever on one aileron, a second wire connecting a "companion lever on said shaft to the companion lever on the aileron; wiresconnecting companion lever arms on said second tubular shaft to lever arms on a second aileron.

11. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with one or more drag element hinged at the ends of said wing or wings each provided with a lever ai'm, means for selectively pulling said elements out of neutral position, wires connecting said lever arms with said pulling means, two tension producing deo'vethe attached drag elements in opposite ditions into the air-stream, whereby said vehicle may be steered by pulling on one drag element drag elements provided .with. hinged" supports,-

stationary wings, of a or may be braked by simultaneously'swinging both drag elements into the airstream by means of said tension producing devices.

12. In a vehicle of the class described provided I with wings, a controlling means comprising t wo drag elements each provided with a lever arm and hinged at an end of a corresponding wing, means for moving said drag elements out of neutral floating position into the airstream, tension wires connecting said latter means to said lever arms, a. tension producing device mounted oneach of said wires adapted to crimp the latter and thereby swing a'corresponding drag element out of the airstreamfor braking or banking purposes two handles adapted to be grasped by a pilot, and wires connecting each of said handles with a corresponding tension producing device. 13. In a vehicle of the classdescribed, a control column provided with a transverse shaft bearing and supporting arms extending transversely from the body thereof and inclined thereto, bearings for the ends of said supporting arms, a shaft extending transversely of the arms and mountedin said bearing in a horizontal shaft, 9. universal joint coupling said shafts with its-neutral axis in the line of the axis of the bearings of said arms means upon, said horizontal shaft for operating the ailerons in opposite directions and means cooperating with said the control column, 1

14. A vehicle of the class described provided with rearwardly inclined ,wings, an aileron hinged to each wing, a drag element hingedto an outer end of each wing about an axis substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the wing, manually operated means including a hand wheel for changing the position, of each aileron and emergency means for selectively turning each drag member Tinto operative position or simultaneously turning both 0! said members.

15. A control for airplanes comprising a pivoted control column, a shaft. means controlled by the operator for rotating said shaft, 1:. block fulcrumed on said shaft,- means connecting said control column and said block for pivoting said block and means connecting the ailerons to said 9,172,818 I 1 block whereby a rotativg movement oi! said Blo will operate said ailerons in opposite directioi while a pivoted movement of said block will ope: ate said ailerons in the same direction.

16. A control for airplanes comprising a pi oted control column, a shaft rotatably mounts in said control column at one end thereof, meat under the control of the operator for rotatin said shaft,a-block pivotally connected to said shat telescoping tubes upon said shaft, pivoted ievei connecting said block to said telescoping tube: means connecting said telescoping tubes to th ailerons and a connection between said colunr and said block for pivoting the same whereb said ailerons may be operated in opposite direc tions or invthe same direction. 1

wALno DEAN wAmRM'Am 

